tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742Thu, 08 Sep 2016 04:30:21 +0000Brendan ColeESS Performance -
World Athletics Centre (Australia) -
Panacea Movement Medicinehttp://brendancole.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)Blogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-9113691119338033113Fri, 27 Jul 2012 13:40:00 +00002012-07-27T06:42:53.546-07:00Receptions, Ceremonies and Dress-Ups<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2GFHt6Z7_0E/UBKWRNWWVYI/AAAAAAAAAcg/VGaMqqJOr1I/s1600/IMG_2393.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2GFHt6Z7_0E/UBKWRNWWVYI/AAAAAAAAAcg/VGaMqqJOr1I/s320/IMG_2393.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Team reception with Ben Offeriens and Joel Milburn</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Last night we were exposed to our first whole team function, which was the team reception and revealing of the flag bearer. Obviously not everyone goes to this (especially with the opening ceremony on tonight), but the atmosphere was amazing! I had a predicted fun-rating of about 4-5 out of 10, but it delivered a solid 9! I think I had an image in my head it as going to be a sit down occasion with lots of speeches and formal stuff, but no! We were greeted by about 100 screaming fans (of which I still don’t know how to react to other than smiling and waving like an idiot) and cameras in out faces, before entering a massive room full of people, music, and an atmosphere pretty much like a nightclub!&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mEKLyFTJWOI/UBKWeN9BcNI/AAAAAAAAAco/wx8ZrTkt7wQ/s1600/IMG_2398.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mEKLyFTJWOI/UBKWeN9BcNI/AAAAAAAAAco/wx8ZrTkt7wQ/s320/IMG_2398.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Past and present AIS boys! Joel, Patty Mills (bball), Joe Ingles (bball), and me</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">It was a great chance to catch up with athletes you don’t get to see very often from different sports, not to mention the staff that we create strong relationships with on trips like these. Star-struck and a giddy with excitement for such an unexpectedly awesome party, I was fairly sad to leave. But not without savoring my first real taste of the Australian Olympic Team. Every single person there had a smile on their face, and talking to the athletes, all oozing with positivity and a keenness to get the Games started, I took another step toward truly appreciating how special this all is.&nbsp;</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Tonight is the Opening Ceremony, and I am glad I haven’t got a limited amount of excitement in me, because I reckon I would have used it all up already. I have decided to not take my camera tonight, as I think the other 10, 000 athletes will have the covered and I want to enjoy every moment purely with my eyes and my heart. Let the Games begin!!!</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Here are some pics from a dress up night the aths team had in our camp in Tonbridge... We had very little resources or time!</span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">Theme: <b>Past</b> <b>Olympics (vintage)</b></span></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5JYewN9o6JU/UBKXRdfdaRI/AAAAAAAAAcw/1FEeaNAYq5A/s1600/IMG_2508.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5JYewN9o6JU/UBKXRdfdaRI/AAAAAAAAAcw/1FEeaNAYq5A/s320/IMG_2508.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tennis anyone? (Can't believe they have an S. Hooker wig)</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gvVXyo-P4yw/UBKXbqUmhtI/AAAAAAAAAc4/vMNJO5DPwSk/s1600/IMG_2514.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gvVXyo-P4yw/UBKXbqUmhtI/AAAAAAAAAc4/vMNJO5DPwSk/s320/IMG_2514.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Original 1896 Olympic Attire</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GyyBvtT8wko/UBKXhfDx20I/AAAAAAAAAdA/UwAFLWhdKkM/s1600/IMG_2515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GyyBvtT8wko/UBKXhfDx20I/AAAAAAAAAdA/UwAFLWhdKkM/s320/IMG_2515.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Circa 1940s. And Bruno. I think he was blind or something</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1yT7mteRIck/UBKXquw0r8I/AAAAAAAAAdI/Y50bg4qOnWA/s1600/IMG_2519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1yT7mteRIck/UBKXquw0r8I/AAAAAAAAAdI/Y50bg4qOnWA/s320/IMG_2519.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mixing eras: triumph.</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HO0SMoLFIug/UBKXvwVhDPI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/5cd9HC0A9e4/s1600/IMG_2525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HO0SMoLFIug/UBKXvwVhDPI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/5cd9HC0A9e4/s320/IMG_2525.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our two judo competitors at it</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kBR-Ww7Oudg/UBKX0-2AOGI/AAAAAAAAAdY/vqn-UzMESX4/s1600/IMG_2526.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kBR-Ww7Oudg/UBKX0-2AOGI/AAAAAAAAAdY/vqn-UzMESX4/s320/IMG_2526.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1984 Olympic supporters</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FVD7WJz_5Ew/UBKX5PXy59I/AAAAAAAAAdg/U5IUwfg7Hwc/s1600/IMG_2532.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FVD7WJz_5Ew/UBKX5PXy59I/AAAAAAAAAdg/U5IUwfg7Hwc/s320/IMG_2532.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can't see the gold medal or the bulging pants here, but Kim is a Chinese swimmer. a-hem.</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aHY8Oun6F-s/UBKX9_RQgLI/AAAAAAAAAdo/chkBjPf4Vt4/s1600/IMG_2539.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aHY8Oun6F-s/UBKX9_RQgLI/AAAAAAAAAdo/chkBjPf4Vt4/s320/IMG_2539.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Towels are almost failing</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9e5LNyOPv6E/UBKYCuL9YqI/AAAAAAAAAdw/fYCng1Agnag/s1600/IMG_2543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9e5LNyOPv6E/UBKYCuL9YqI/AAAAAAAAAdw/fYCng1Agnag/s320/IMG_2543.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Press meeting?</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bMcXCZQw6iA/UBKYKYOd-hI/AAAAAAAAAd4/qoDO2MAuPLE/s1600/IMG_2547.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bMcXCZQw6iA/UBKYKYOd-hI/AAAAAAAAAd4/qoDO2MAuPLE/s320/IMG_2547.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jeff as 2000 Olympic star Nikki Webster&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UjE3X6QR4kg/UBKYQBSIXXI/AAAAAAAAAeA/L52gAMmw13Y/s1600/IMG_2551.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UjE3X6QR4kg/UBKYQBSIXXI/AAAAAAAAAeA/L52gAMmw13Y/s320/IMG_2551.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me as Greg - reporter. Danii: ???</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9ROZbln6-7g/UBKYUjjiy0I/AAAAAAAAAeI/BNE23vxosRQ/s1600/IMG_2555.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9ROZbln6-7g/UBKYUjjiy0I/AAAAAAAAAeI/BNE23vxosRQ/s320/IMG_2555.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Never has a man looked so comfortable but terrible in a dress.&nbsp;</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/07/team-reception-with-ben-offeriens-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-8556728786093743450Sat, 21 Jul 2012 21:36:00 +00002012-07-21T14:36:51.107-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://2.gvt0.com/vi/LDOcjSzhNvI/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LDOcjSzhNvI&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LDOcjSzhNvI&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div><br />For all those out there who want a quickie on stretching basics 101 (Feat. Lauren Boden.)<br />Obviously there is a hell of a lot more to stretching - we had very little time!<br />Great fun though... ;-)</div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/07/for-all-those-out-there-who-want.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-7871188712838918306Sat, 21 Jul 2012 21:31:00 +00002012-07-21T14:31:43.589-07:00<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://1.gvt0.com/vi/v2yAFGnzQj0/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/v2yAFGnzQj0&fs=1&source=uds" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/v2yAFGnzQj0&fs=1&source=uds" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div><br /></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/07/blog-post_21.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-1396660392837541681Sat, 21 Jul 2012 20:56:00 +00002012-07-21T13:56:42.195-07:00Traffic lights and friendly chaps<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aFNHjH4B2qE/UAsW8_eDbfI/AAAAAAAAAcI/XlxlS_WHIBg/s1600/CIMG8026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aFNHjH4B2qE/UAsW8_eDbfI/AAAAAAAAAcI/XlxlS_WHIBg/s320/CIMG8026.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;">I reckon the 400 hurdles is a fair bit like driving to work in the morning. Each hurdle is like a traffic light, and you have good days and bad days. Getting a good run of greens is like the perfect race of hurdles, and sometimes every red light possible is conspiring against you and you are forced to stop, start, stop, start. Not ideal for hurdles, either. <br /><br />Today's race I had a red light before I had left the driveway. For some silly reason I took an extra step before the first hurdle, which meant I was on my opposite leg and pretty much had given myself the worst possible start. I was actually fairly happy with what followed as I managed to change the rest of my race as best as I felt I could and finished with a 50.06, a European best this year. I clipped a couple of hurdles and my last hurdle was terrible, but I was happy with what shape it showed I am in. <br /><br />The other event that left me with a smile was a chat with the guy that beat me, a Belizian hurdler named Kenneth, who is also going to the Olympics.&nbsp;</div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;">"I am just so happy to be going, man! I don't care if I run 56 seconds or 48, it's what I have worked towards and have achieved, so I'm going to enjoy it."&nbsp;</div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;">How refreshing! There is no doubt we will all be giving our everything at the Olympics and our best result possible will follow, but it was so nice to see another athlete really enjoying the fact that he is representing his country at the biggest sporting stage in the world to do what he loves. Bless.&nbsp;</div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><br /><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section" style="clear: both;">Next stop, London!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3-fHUndAP8g/UAsXAgxkJfI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/01paoa4Wfk4/s1600/CIMG8031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3-fHUndAP8g/UAsXAgxkJfI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/01paoa4Wfk4/s320/CIMG8031.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/07/traffic-lights-and-friendly-chaps.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-298359506714101758Wed, 18 Jul 2012 20:29:00 +00002012-07-18T13:29:51.467-07:00In bed with Greg - Episode 3 with Kim Mickle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/6ho8Av6F85I/0.jpg" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/6ho8Av6F85I?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/6ho8Av6F85I?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div><br /></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/07/blog-post.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-4974384858075932630Tue, 17 Jul 2012 19:23:00 +00002012-07-17T12:24:37.309-07:00Aware, but not alarmed.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">I occasionally I feel like I get an idea of what it feels like to be on an isolated reality TV show when I come to Europe. Time seems to speed up and slow down unexpectedly, and things are generally just a bit surreal. I think it’s been about 3 weeks since I got to Europe, but as I am on this new TV show “The World’s Next Top 400m Hurdler”, things aren’t always as they seem.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Luckily for me I am healthy and happy. It’s been a real laugh staying with Mitch Watt and Steve Hooker, often going for rides through the small country sized park here in Cologne, and Mitch constantly entertain us with hypotheticals and questions like “are handle bars stiffer on bikes you can ride with no hands?”. Steve and I also have a great coffee machine in our apartment so the usual time and effort trying to get hold of decent made coffee in Germany has been spent on latte art and good conversation instead.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Three races down, and I haven’t hit the times I was hoping for as yet (50.3, 50.4, 50.9). I really try and avoid excusing under-performing with blaming conditions or hitting hurdles, so I won’t. What I do know is that I am training amazingly well and staying positive and am of good health, and I generally come good when those boxes are ‘ticked’. Besides, I have worked way too hard and for too long to beat myself up over crappy races. They happen, so I won’t. I am just loving racing and training at the moment. It’s a very special thing that I have the privilege of doing.&nbsp;</span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; min-height: 14.0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"></span></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Next up: this weekend is my last race before going into London. It’s in Belgium and not a bad little meet that I won last year and ran fairly well in. I just hope I don’t get evicted this week.&nbsp;</span></div></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/07/aware-but-not-alarmed.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-3193639308414540671Wed, 11 Jul 2012 09:28:00 +00002012-07-11T02:28:37.117-07:00In Tune and On Time...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Highlights of the past week have included:<br />1. Running fast and stuff at training on Monday (after a big weekend of racing).<br />2. Having a visit from Steve's girl, Katya, for a couple of days just after she has officially made the O team for Russia.<br />3. Getting upgraded to silver Qantas Club membership.<br />4. Almost every meal at home! Steve doesn't eat anything with gluten in it, so we are just eating fresh fruit, veg and nuts with good quality meat (and the occasional block of chocolate) for all meals.<br />5. Finding out one of my fav bands, Muse, have written the official theme song for the Olympics - it's amazing.<br />6. Going to see Bon Iver live in Cologne on Monday night. Amazing band, beautiful music. Great company.<br />7. Riding my bike. Everywhere.<br />8. Organising fun things to do at Burning Man.<br />9. Continually getting emails and contact from friends and fams wishing me luck next month. Such a blessed and lucky jerk I am!<br />10. Not working.<br /><br />It usually takes a little time for me to adjust to being in Europe. The time zone thing, yes, but just getting used to not working, tapering off with training, and all things just changing a little bit. Luckily for me this year I have been able to stay in an apartment with good mate Steve Hooker, which means I have stayed in a routine much more like home with cooking, cleaning, and generally just doing my own thing. All this, with the added bonus of hanging out with Steve - just like old times! We lived together back in Melbourne many moons ago so we know what each other are like.<br /><br />Ok, general racing stats... My first race was in <b>Belgium</b> (Nivelles) and was 'off the plane' i.e. racing within two days of touching down from Australia. <b>50.6</b> and a win. Nice and controlled race, with what felt like some juice in the tank for the next races.<br />Second race was in <b>Liege</b>, Belgium, in a better field, but not so good conditions.<b> 4th in 50.35, </b>where it just happened to piss down for only 10 mins of the day; right before and during our race! Good conditioning for London it seems ;-) I was hoping for faster, and I was beaten by Micheal Butheel and Tristan Thomas, two great athletes, but guys I know I can beat and don't particularly like losing to.<br />Third race was the next day in <b>Bottrop, Germany. 4th in 50.42</b>. I was a bit tired from the day before and from travel, so it was good to back up, but a little slow so initially was unhappy.<br /><br />General chats with Matty and analysis of previous years have shown that I pretty much always have a few races at around these times before going fast. I am training really well and feeling fantastic, so I'm happy to just have faith and keep getting things done in the meanwhile. Things are starting to fire up as we start all heading into London now, but for me I think the best thing is to just keep my head down, enjoy being fit and racing, and stay healthy and happy. Most of these things I find easy to do, so its just business as usual!<br /><br /><br /><br />Coming up are two meets before heading into London. This weekend, I have another Belgian meet in Kortrijk. I have run there before and its a nice little meet, usually pulling one or two good athletes to race against. The last meet is one in&nbsp;Nonovae, (I think),&nbsp;Italy. Italian comps are usually on Mondo tracks and are nice and warm.<br /><br />I have a couple of opinions of current trends in media and will write about them tomorrow, for what its worth. In the meantime... day off and catch up with Joel Milburn and Steve before he heads into London for the diamond league this weekend.<br /><br />Ciao!&nbsp;</div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/07/in-tune-and-on-time.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-2021444791345584942Tue, 03 Jul 2012 08:27:00 +00002012-07-03T01:27:37.901-07:00In bed with Greg - Episode 2 with Steve Hooker<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ltIzQqHH1Ho/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ltIzQqHH1Ho?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ltIzQqHH1Ho?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div><br /></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/07/in-bed-with-greg-episode-2-with-steve.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-6278350883562752142Wed, 20 Jun 2012 05:07:00 +00002012-06-19T22:17:07.560-07:00Here we go...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q2ZOTQkeMp8/T-FZJXMbnEI/AAAAAAAAAY8/XRTXjwqxc48/s1600/not-all-those-who-wander-are-lost-e2ckgodn-382186-475-553.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-q2ZOTQkeMp8/T-FZJXMbnEI/AAAAAAAAAY8/XRTXjwqxc48/s320/not-all-those-who-wander-are-lost-e2ckgodn-382186-475-553.jpg" width="274" /></span></a></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">“Have a great trip, BJ!”&nbsp;</span></div></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; min-height: 14px; text-align: left;"></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">Forgive me for sounding like I should be a hemp-wearing hippie with only open toed footwear in my possession and a proud owner of a ‘magic happens’ sticker on my zombie... but this is much more than a 'trip'. It seems like its even more than a ‘journey’. Or maybe these words just don’t seem to cover it properly in my head.&nbsp;</span></div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">I am normally pretty good with travel and flights and this time of the year, but the last couple of weeks have been odd. It’s not really nerves, so much as a lack of knowledge of how I am ‘supposed’ to prepare myself for this time I have ahead of me. Making the Olympics is not only a goal reached, but something that will be carried with me in some way for the rest of my life. The nature of the attainment of this goal and what happens in London will essentially dictate very much how I approach my goal setting until I breath no more.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">This is a fair bit of pressure, and probably a great example of the far-too-in-depth way I tend to get from time to time. Don’t get me wrong, I am going to have a ball, and feel like a child most of the time getting to play with the big kids and do all this awesome adult stuff! But I guess I am aware of this being the story I am going to most often tell for the rest of my life. I love talking shit and I love telling stories, so I am hoping that it’s going to be a sweet story, not one where my grandkids nod off as the climax of the story doesn’t really go anywhere.&nbsp;</span></div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">“What bedtime story do you want to hear tonight, kids?”&nbsp;</span></div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">“Tell us your London Olympic story, Pop. That always puts us to sleep.”</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">The good thing is now that I am all packed, sitting at the Qantas Club in Sydney (pretty much paid for itself already) and awaiting my flight to Europe. The majority of the hard work has been done, we just need to sharpen out pencils and start writing history. I couldn’t ask for a better lead-up really. I have been injury free for the past 3 years, I have done a great base after Olympic Trials, I have my super-coach and great mate MattyB coming over, as well as my super excited and talented training partners Loz and Mel. I can’t wait to hang out with Steve (Hooker) in Germany and catch up with the rest of the team as the tension and excitement builds over the next month.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">My aim is just to keep my head on shoulders, my legs painfree and on the track, and my heart open to the experience that awaits. Words will not come close to describing my travels over the next 5 months (I have a 3 months trip planned post-games; i’ll chat about that later), nor will images, but I will do my best to use both &nbsp;give some insight into the experience.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">A quick thanks, and one of many to some of the amazing people who helped mould the athlete and man that steps on the plane in a couple of hours. My beautiful, generous and insightful parents, Anne and Barry. Jacqui (and Nathan), and Tim - the bros and sis’ that keep me real. My pre-mentioned coach MattyB, Loz, Mel and the entire MattyB DEPT back in Canberra. The AIS Physical Therapies dept, my home of work and support for the past 3 years, particularly Ari Takkinen (ninja master) and Ben Raysmith (best physio in the world under 5ft tall). The two boys that started my aths career with me 25 years ago, Pete and Sim, and all my amazing mates back in Melbourne. My two mentors and blokes who build me up and shoot me down at perfect times, Steve Hooker and Benn Harradine.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;">And a big cheers and look-the-hell-out to all the people I haven’t met that will be on my epic adventures and part of the stories I will tell for years to come.&nbsp;</span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_-3tyroiv98/T-FY_aie-zI/AAAAAAAAAY0/FSpWmS1Jl7o/s1600/picc-5ilog57i7-391148-475-380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_-3tyroiv98/T-FY_aie-zI/AAAAAAAAAY0/FSpWmS1Jl7o/s320/picc-5ilog57i7-391148-475-380.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></div></div></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/06/here-we-go.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-9076188705687313591Mon, 11 Jun 2012 08:27:00 +00002012-06-11T01:27:09.211-07:00In bed with Greg (and Lauren Boden)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/vHmjdLcCEnQ/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/vHmjdLcCEnQ?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/vHmjdLcCEnQ?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true"></embed></object></div><br /></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/06/in-bed-with-greg-and-lauren-boden.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-9113495928572140484Mon, 11 Jun 2012 03:08:00 +00002012-06-10T20:35:30.331-07:00An Ode to Little Athletics<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">On the verge of the final selection announcement for the London Olympic Australian Athletics Team, I thought it refreshing and possibly distracting to go back to some roots of the sport for me from a recent trip home...<br /><br />I was back in Melbourne for my last visit before I head overseas to London. It was great seeing my family and a few friends, but it was a trip to my old athletics club - Waverley Little Athletics - that was a real highlight for me. I had just flown in on the red-eye from Korea, but still had a training session to do so thought it a good opportunity to head back down. I love running on the grass there, too.<br /><br />After a reasonably good session, I found the lack of sleep from the night before creeping up on me like a hungry feral cat - ready to pounce at any moment my guard was down. I decided to just sit on the bend in about lane four and think about what this place meant to me. I have no doubt that the fatigue that was slowly taking its grasp was having an impact, but I found myself in quite a profound state where I was taken back to the days where my love for athletics began. I had to fight back tears as I remembered what it was like back when Zooper Doopers were 20 cents, when I ran in bare feet whenever I was allowed, and when I couldn't wait until 9am Saturday morning.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DszI24GTCEA/T9VmXk7m1SI/AAAAAAAAAYY/Npc31QK9QYg/s1600/Pete+and+Brendan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DszI24GTCEA/T9VmXk7m1SI/AAAAAAAAAYY/Npc31QK9QYg/s320/Pete+and+Brendan.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Me on the left, and Pete</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I remember my Dad, bless his heart, who became the club president because of my involvement in athletics through my youth - always there, with words of support, or to chastise us when we went 'missing'. I remember going 'missing'. It always seemed to be around the time when the 800s were on, for some strange reason. Little Aths was always about mass participation, but TWO laps? You're kidding yourself Dad.<br /><br />I remember the walks. Simon and I always used to get in trouble because we would take our Walkmans on the track whilst we raced. That's right, I said Walkmans. We would walk alongside each other with one earphone each from the tape player, listening to Nirvana or Offspring and bopping away (with flawless technique of course). It was all about getting enough points on your card so that at the end of the year you got a gold sticker for each of the disciplines.<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-suwlcY-BleA/T9VmzJGi2NI/AAAAAAAAAYg/lEL9mzYTGuI/s1600/Brendan+and+Sam+Dinsmore.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-suwlcY-BleA/T9VmzJGi2NI/AAAAAAAAAYg/lEL9mzYTGuI/s320/Brendan+and+Sam+Dinsmore.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Another Simon, and me at Olympic Park</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I remember my first ever state medal. It was the under 11 100m, and I wasn't expected to do that well, and with good reason. I clearly false started, but those were the days when you just ran, so ran I did and only got beaten by one other kid. I felt a bit bad, but I had just made a national championships, so bugger it! I didn't do so well at Nationals, though. Haha.<br /><br />I remember the girls of Little Aths. In under 14 and 15 this was my first real exposure to girls who were fit and somewhat developed. Monica and Emma were the two that us boys were after. Emma and I went out for an eternity of 3 weeks and I think my first ever poem that I wrote was to Monica. The first line vaguely resembled 'I think I love you, but I can't be sure...' standard 14 year old musings. At the end of the year we would have fights with shaving cream and water bombs. You'd run away from the girls, but something held you back just a little in the hope that they would catch you and smear having cream all over you. The cream would clean off, but the memories remain. Lets just say I think I got to second base with Monica on one of those fight days.<br /><br />I remember Pete and Sim. My two best mates in the world from under 7s. Pete was Simon's best man last year, and I watched proudly as a groomsman - these blokes remain two of my best and certainly my oldest friends today. Every week without question after aths finished we'd be back at Simon's place close by and scheduling our afternoon of shenanigans. Always on our bikes, we'd be off creating mischief and adventures until dark. Or until one of us got hurt. Or hungry. Both happened quite often.<br /><br />I remember relays. Mrs. De La Haye (Pete's Mum) would have us out there every Thursday afternoon for training, drilling us hard as we defended our state titles from year to year. I was a good athlete, and we had some good depth behind me, but we had the ultimate weapon. My mate Pete De La Haye was like the Usian Bolt of little aths. You'd just give him the baton and watch the magic happen. 10m behind before the final leg? No problem. Early puberty with a an amazing amount of talent meant our not-so-seccret weapon would dominate relay after relay. The rest of us must take some credit, of course. Just like the shooting guard for the Chicago Bulls can take credit for their wins over the LA Lakers in the early 90s NBA finals. Not Jordan. What is his name....??? Anyway...<br /><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oLfBw2SFeP8/T9VnI0lWzLI/AAAAAAAAAYo/N9DXqZMP-Wg/s1600/U13+medley+relay+with+Cathy+Freeman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="233" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oLfBw2SFeP8/T9VnI0lWzLI/AAAAAAAAAYo/N9DXqZMP-Wg/s320/U13+medley+relay+with+Cathy+Freeman.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Legends.</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I remember Melbourne Olympic Park. Hallowed ground for any Victorian track and field athlete, and where dreams were lost and found (thank you again, Eddie McGuire and Collingwood, for taking that away.) God knows how we had the energy, but we always used to be found on the steep grassy hills, behind the back straight grandstand. We'd find cardboard from somewhere and surf our way down the hills, hurtling at stupid speeds towards the black bitumen that awaited us at the bottom. To this day I have no idea how a) we didn't shatter more bones, or b) our parents allowed us to do this!!!<br /><br />I found myself a bit lost after Little Athletics. I went and played basketball at a moderate rep level, but it was only a very lucky course of events that brought me back to athletics around the end of high school. Having said that, these memories of athletics are the purest and most golden of the ones in my mind. Athletics is such a beautifully simple and rewarding sport, even as a gateway of skills towards other sports. It teaches our kids some of the best and most lifelong of attributes as they develop. I urge any parent and any child to do athletics from the bottom of my heart.&nbsp;</div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/06/ode-to-little-athletics.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-7167328574508908092Sun, 13 May 2012 04:25:00 +00002012-05-12T21:25:40.664-07:00In Bed with Greg... (coming soon)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />I recently met this guy called Greg. He seemed like a dickhead at first but has a great passion for sport and was pretty funny, so I thought I would ask him to do a few interviews for me with athletes over the next few months as a part of my blog. He is a try-hard track and field athlete, but bless his cotton socks he can't really do much. He is soon to be away with me in Daegu, Korea, so watch this space...<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><object width="320" height="266" class="BLOGGER-youtube-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="http://i.ytimg.com/vi/faVXqdwsrqk/0.jpg"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/faVXqdwsrqk?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://www.youtube.com/v/faVXqdwsrqk?version=3&f=user_uploads&c=google-webdrive-0&app=youtube_gdata" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/05/in-bed-with-greg-coming-soon.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-4935898802752894858Tue, 17 Apr 2012 10:39:00 +00002012-04-17T04:02:44.276-07:00Walking the line<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The last month has been hectic to say the least. I desperately wanted to write down my thoughts on winning trails and qualifying for my first ever Olympic team, but I have been really conscious of the sensitivity of the subject. The qualifying period has not ended and there are a lot of athletes that are very, very close to qualifying. I thought maybe that me writing about how awesome it is to be selected (sorry, nominated) would be a little insensitive and conceded. I’ve decided that that’s probably bullshit, so I am going to write about how awesome it is.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">People keep asking me how it feels to be qualified and on my way to London, and for a while I haven’t really been able to answer them well. The first 2 minutes after the race I genuinely thought something was wrong with the timing. I had recalled the previous week at interclub in Canberra where the gates had messed up a training partner’s timing and said he had run about 4 tenths of a second too fast. I was sure the same had happened. The first 2 days were numb with excitement. I celebrated with my friends and found it really hard to sleep, thinking I’d wake up from this sweet dream if I did (corny, I know!) The two weeks the followed it started to sink in and the grin on my face started to fade at times, as I realised the magnitude and responsibility of this great honour.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">So how does it feel? Well, you know when you were in uni or high school and you came across a subject you actually really liked and enjoyed and got a lot out of? You decided that you would actually try really hard at the subject and see how you would go, and after a semester of hard work, sacrifice and commitment, you got a HD. You were so proud that you had worked hard at something and that it had payed off! It was a gamble, because you know that it is always a risk to put all your eggs into one basket and actually try really hard at something. So take uni/high school as my life, take athletics as the subject and take making the Olympics as my HD. Except, that HD also just got me into a much harder class than I was in before, with smarter kids and more homework. That probably all sounds a bit clinical, but I simply can’t describe to you the level of satisfaction of what has happened.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_ywdMjW8NOg/T41Egt8s_II/AAAAAAAAAVM/sE6Mqowe7d4/s1600/420458_249038871851187_112825462139196_556869_51767948_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_ywdMjW8NOg/T41Egt8s_II/AAAAAAAAAVM/sE6Mqowe7d4/s320/420458_249038871851187_112825462139196_556869_51767948_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; letter-spacing: 0px;">I tend to get a bit philosophical (like you couldn’t tell) about things sometimes. But particularly when really bad things happen to me or when really good things happen to me. This is obviously the latter, and I guess I started asking how and why things have fallen into place so well for me this year. “BJ, mate. You deserve it!” Is something I have heard a bit lately. Shit yes, I deserve it. I have worked my arse off and changed my whole life with this goal, but does that mean the bloke next to me who missed out didn’t ‘deserve it’? He trains as hard as I do. He has made sacrifices, too. Maybe more. Why should he not deserve it?&nbsp;</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">“Things happen for a reason!” Nup. Sorry. I have heard more truth in statements on the back of toilet doors. I have had seen too much pain and misfortune in people that don’t deserve it to believe anything has a good ‘reason’ for happening. My training partner Mel Breen ran .02 off an A qualifier this evening and was about her 398th B qualifier. If she doesn’t run the A before june 11, does she ‘deserve it’ any less than me? Shit no. She has worked as hard as me (I’ve seen it) and should be on the team like the rest of us.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">The truth is, shit happens. Life sometimes bends you over and sometimes life gives you green lights all the way to work. As athletes, we are constantly walking on the edge of luck and fortune. For some athletes, it’s a tightrope over a windy Grand Canyon, but what we CAN do is make that edge we walk on as sturdy as possible. I think the things I have learnt and applied over the past years in athletics have given me more like a solid plank of wood to walk on rather than the tightrope. There is every chance I would not run an ‘A’ in Melbourne, but everything I had done up to then made it more likely that I would. Fate is a devilsh and cruel mistress and not to be fucked with, so I’ll just keep practicing my balancing act and make sure I have a good carpenter handy.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;">In the meantime I have had the ‘luxury’ (if you can call increasing your training load by almost double and being tired all the time luxurious) of going into a solid training block in the lead up to our international competitions leading to London. Some great training has been done by Lauren, my training partner, and I and we’ll both run in Japan in a few weeks before heading to Europe in mid June to reach the pointy end of the season. This block will be the strong base we need for running fast in August. It’s also a great example of making that line we walk on sturdier and thicker. I’m strong, I’m fit, I’m determined, and I’m happy.&nbsp;</span><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8eaCcAjzpE4/T41IE-yvpVI/AAAAAAAAAVY/jywBmIhdNUg/s1600/flight-of-the-frenchies-slacklining.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8eaCcAjzpE4/T41IE-yvpVI/AAAAAAAAAVY/jywBmIhdNUg/s320/flight-of-the-frenchies-slacklining.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="font: normal normal normal 12px/normal Helvetica; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; text-align: left;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/04/walking-line.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-5863692618534896937Tue, 07 Feb 2012 03:33:00 +00002012-02-06T19:33:41.055-08:00The January round up (with a scorch of Feb) <p class='bloggerplus_text_section' align='left'><b>WARNING: Technical jargon and potentially boring athletic related content below. Proceed with caution, and feigned interest is discouraged. </b><br><br>I was thinking back to the start of the year with my first blog back that I may have been talking things up a little bit. It's not my style to big note myself, so to talk so confidently about my form and expectations for the year was a bit like wearing someone else suit. Sure, it might look good. But it's just not me. <br><br>Fortunately I felt like I have backed up my words of self assurance this last month, despite a run that I wasn't happy with this weekend. But I'll get to that. As mentioned, I was very surprised and super happy with my new years day form, taking out the Burnie Gift. I had to postpone my first first scheduled 400m hurdles a week later due to my hamstrings going on strike for a week after running faster than they were supposed to (fair enough, I reckon). <br><br>This meant my first 400m hurdles was to be at the <b>Hunter Track Classic in Newcastle.</b> I was welcomed by the Neauvacastrians (I just really wanted to use that word; its the name for people from Newcastle), and ran what I thought was a really solid first race. From memory, it was the fastest season opener for me and I had some work to do on my stride pattern, taking 16 strides between hurdles 8 and 9, and 9 and 10. It was windy, but that kind of stride pattern shenanigans is not on for a potential Olympic finalist. Nonetheless, solid. And heaps in the tank. A little conservative so keen as for my next chance to jump some fences.<br><br>Some super excellent training sessions and a boosted confidence then saw me head to <b>Albury</b> the following weekend for a handicapped 400m. My mark was 7m and in the final my next competitor was 15m in front of me. I think this worked in my favour as I was able to run the first 150m or so without trying to run around anyone. I had spoken to my coach Matty before the race talking about tactics, seeing if he thought holding off on the first 200m might be a good idea to stay clear of traffic. "Mate," he replied. "Just run those bastards down as quick as you can, and deal with anyone that gets in your way when you get to them." Thanks coach.<br><br>Turns out it was good advice. I ran hard for the first 200m, hit the front with 60m to go and some string, a sash, a paycheck and a bum grab from a local councilwoman later, and I had my second gift win for 2012. Sweet.<br><br>I must mention here another reason for my confident approach and headspace to the year so far. Around Christmas I started meditating again. It was an invaluable and rather specific skill I learnt back in Melbourne from a Buddhist monk and I come back to it when I feel I need to. I won't bore you with any transcendent details, but it has centered me and given me a settled feeling in the work I have done and the ability I have more than I can explain in a blog or a book. <br><br>We traveled to <b>Hobart</b> then for hurdles round 2. Training with Papua New Guinea national record holder Mowen Boeno for the past couple of weeks had me on my toes so despite my good form, I knew it wouldn't be a walk in the park. Plus, I really wanted to make some good headway towards this pesky 'A' qualifying standard, and although Hobart is notoriously a bad place to run fast, if I could edge under 50 seconds it really would confirm my suspicions of being in lifetime best form. <br><br>An out-of-character lovely night greeted us last Saturday in the Tasmanian capital, which made my stomach a little excited at the prospect of running fast. I don like paying too much attention to the wind, as I feel you can get way too caught up in what's it's doing and forget to just run the race. Think it may have been a bit windy, but only running 50.6 in otherwise lovely conditions was quite disappointing for me. Riding the good and the bad runs is certainly what makes or breaks a 4-hurdler, but I just know I am in better shape than the time indicated. This has been somewhat annoying, but the plan is now to focus on the next 3 big meets (as I write this on the plane out west) in <b>Perth, Sydney and Melbourne</b>. I plan to do this carrying through the confidence I have earned, and firmly supported by the training I have done and the exciting form I am feeling is ready to unleash. <br><br>I am joined this weekend in <b>Perth</b> by 2 Americans that have run well under 49 seconds, one of them an Olympian and World Championship representative from the best athletic country in the world. If these guys are in good shape, it will be the perfect stimulus and competition for fast races and qualifiers for the big 'O'. Plus, I haven't lost any races this year yet, and I've got a bet going with my training partner, Lauren Boden to run an A qualifier before she does. I hate losing to girls.<br><br><br></p><p class='bloggerplus_image_section'><div class='bloggerplus_image_section' align='left' ><img src='http://lh6.ggpht.com/-uXrBeyaazOg/TzCbfpfDXnI/AAAAAAAAARs/gguNctEXP_Y/bloggerPlus.jpg' ></img></div></p><p class='bloggerplus_image_section'><div class='bloggerplus_image_section' align='left' ><img src='http://lh4.ggpht.com/--rvxpdxMpe4/TzCbjgPx5RI/AAAAAAAAAR8/5zKJkMj5tAY/bloggerPlus.jpg' ></img></div></p><p class='bloggerplus_image_section'><div class='bloggerplus_image_section' align='left' ><img src='http://lh5.ggpht.com/-PdWGhkMxbl0/TzCbieszb9I/AAAAAAAAAR0/ScWuPRI1ndU/bloggerPlus.jpg' ></img></div></p>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/02/january-round-up-with-scorch-of-feb.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-2725166491454667850Mon, 30 Jan 2012 12:19:00 +00002012-01-30T04:19:19.157-08:00The first week back at school! <p class='bloggerplus_text_section' align='left'>There is something shiny and unwrapped about the first couple of athletics meets at the start of the season. We athletes share amazingly special bonds and experiences together, and every year we go away for at least a few months and see nothing of our spike wearing loved ones. This can be tough. Often we pine over Facebook pictures and engage in mindless banter over twitter, but it's just not enough. It may sound suss, but I miss the sweaty embrace of my mates after a race. And no Facebook picture can do any justice to how hot some of the girls (and guys, I am sure) are on the athletics track. We go off and train the winter months away and come back (hopefully) stronger, better, and faster. <br><br>I can only liken this to 'back to school' after a holiday break! <br><br>You look around and see who made it through the break and is still at 'school' from last year. You see who is looking fit. You catch up with the great mates that you aren't quite close enough to keep in contact with but love nonetheless. You promise to do a better job next year with staying in touch, but you can chat about that next week in Hobart. <br><br>You are a little nervous as to how much wine and chocolate you ate over Christmas and wonder if the guy/girl winning your event indulged as much as you did. Probably shouldn't have gone back for fifths. But you did make up for it with that great Boxing Day session. Hey, there's Sally! Holy Crap she ran well at Worlds! What a superstar!! You got along really well with her last year, but you haven't seen her in a few months. Maybe she is big time now and doesn't remember who you are... "Hey Sal!" Phew. She remembered your name.<br><br>You recall trudging through the winter months training and calling your coach all kinds of four-letter words on Wednesday mornings (a notorious spew session), but remember why you do this pure and beautiful sport as you look around your surrounds! First race down. Sweet. Racing is so much more fun than training! 'Why can't I just race all year round?' you ponder... Then you can earn money all year AND follow the summer round the world. You make a mental note to chat to the coach about that.<br><br>You had a bit of a crush on whats-her-face over there last year, and didn't get to chat at the nationals after-party. Hopefully you won't have to wait until then end of season this year. You decide to make a move in Perth. <br><br>Just like the new year of school, the commencement of the athletics season brings the sparkle of unknown potential, of things that will shape your next 12 months, and the chance re-live the ones that have past with your kindred athletic spirits on tour. <br><br>"2012. This will be my best year yet!" you promise. And for that moment, whatever the coming months deliver matters not. Because at THAT moment it's true...<br><br></p>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/01/first-week-back-at-school.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-8237387355072778000Mon, 09 Jan 2012 08:03:00 +00002012-01-09T00:03:40.933-08:00New years resolution: be awesomer.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:DocumentProperties> <o:Template>Normal</o:Template> <o:Revision>0</o:Revision> <o:TotalTime>0</o:TotalTime> <o:Pages>1</o:Pages> <o:Words>717</o:Words> <o:Characters>4089</o:Characters> <o:Company>Virtex health and fitness</o:Company> <o:Lines>34</o:Lines> <o:Paragraphs>8</o:Paragraphs> <o:CharactersWithSpaces>5021</o:CharactersWithSpaces> <o:Version>11.1287</o:Version> </o:DocumentProperties> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:DoNotShowRevisions/> <w:DoNotPrintRevisions/> <w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayHorizontalDrawingGridEvery> <w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery>0</w:DisplayVerticalDrawingGridEvery> <w:UseMarginsForDrawingGridOrigin/> </w:WordDocument> </xml><![endif]--> <!--StartFragment--> <br /><div class="MsoNormal">I have a confession to make. </div><div class="MsoNormal">I am scared. Scared shitless. This is a big year. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Luckily for my housemate (who has to put up with all my shit) and I though, my fear of what will happen this year is completely outweighed by an excited apprehension that can be likened to the waiting on Christmas morning when we were six to opening our presents from Santa. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m planning to retire at the end of this Olympic cycle (I think!) and so there is, without really being able to avoid it, a certain awareness and dare I say pressure that ‘this is it’. No turning back or flirting with regretful nostalgia. No wishing I had made some changes earlier or that I shouldn’t have made the ones I did. These words almost lose their meaning with how cliché they sound, but they bounce round my head on silent nights like the original ‘tennis’ game on an Atari 64. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The good thing, sportsfans, is that I freaking love it. I once had a great chat with ex-Carlton coach David Parkin and he made me very aware of the want, neigh <i>need </i><span style="font-style: normal;">of stress for athletes and non-athletes alike. Basically, Parks has the strong worded opinion that unless there is a certain level of stress driving someone’s motives, things just don’t get done very well. Take your average student with a large assignment due in three months time; they spend 2.5 months thinking about how much time they have to do it, maybe even get a little reading or research done, but that last two weeks is when things really get any momentum. Not to mention the last two </span><i>days</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> for some of us! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">Of course, there is a fine line to balance on here. I see many athletes around me fall and get injured due to too much stress on and off the sporting field. The body’s response to high levels of stress is not conjusive to the optimal athletic state. But this is not exactly what I am talking about. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The challenges this year put in front of me are stresses that are met with confidence, vigour and an understanding that this year is realistically the culmination of my entire athletic career. If there is anything that I have learnt over the ten years I’ve spent running in circles over planks of wood, it’s the unpredictable nature of athletics, and how important it is to not get drowned in expectation from others and from yourself. You can always find reasons to doubt yourself (which I have been guilty of time and time again), but there are always much better reasons to back yourself that you are well prepared, happy, fit, and ready to go.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aiM3ohNUIWM/Twqcjx0JzZI/AAAAAAAAALg/BnDdO7iAszE/s1600/IMG_4082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aiM3ohNUIWM/Twqcjx0JzZI/AAAAAAAAALg/BnDdO7iAszE/s320/IMG_4082.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">New years eve sunset in Tassie: Magic.</span></span></td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">I have been very lucky this season to start with some good performances and some great training. It has been the best and hardest I have ever trained in the ‘winter’ months, and without injury. I ran two PB’s in my first two weeks of competition, including a 400 meters (albeit not <i>that</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> impressive), and I have had a very successful last week in Tasmania at three handicapped gift meets. Ten races in six days, 4 x 400, 3 x 200, and 3 x 120. Exhausted doesn’t come close to covering it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-style: normal;"><br /></span></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uX78f8tByk8/TwqdW8OT-KI/AAAAAAAAALs/b2TtqRftNJ4/s1600/IMG_3765.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-uX78f8tByk8/TwqdW8OT-KI/AAAAAAAAALs/b2TtqRftNJ4/s320/IMG_3765.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">400m at Devenport</td></tr></tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The last day was quite the event though. It was the Burnie Gift, a well recognised gift on the professional circuit, and an amazing day of athletics, cycling, and woodchopping! Perfect weather and a fantastic crowd had me pretty excited despite my aching legs and weary head. After a chat with my coach Matt, we decided last minute to run the 120m gift instead of the 400m (my planned distance). To be quite honest, this was almost purely because I couldn’t be bothered doing a full lap; I was really tired. The sprint would give me a chance to do some speed work and hopefully get out of the heats and get a second run if I ran well. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">It turned out I did more than that, I somehow scraped through a win in the heat and semi-final and get through to the last 6! I really thought my body had had enough, but I had a couple of hours to regroup, so put my feet up for a while. The final was awesome, really fast and although I didn’t think I ran that well as I tightened up in the last 30 meters, I actually got close to winning! Or so I thought… <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">My training group and coach rushed over with looks of disbelief on their faces. “Dude. I think you might have won!” <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">“Bullshit.” I replied. “Really?”<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">So I waited for a good ten minutes before I was announced the winner by three thousandths of a second! <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal">I did not expect that.<o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FI5h0KsOPEo/TwqeyFrjXlI/AAAAAAAAAL4/qqkJ-vLlCJ0/s1600/383157_10151119119060113_673135112_22524304_1240488562_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FI5h0KsOPEo/TwqeyFrjXlI/AAAAAAAAAL4/qqkJ-vLlCJ0/s320/383157_10151119119060113_673135112_22524304_1240488562_n.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">I’ve been involved in pro running in some way for over 10 years now, and this was my first win! Needless to say I wore my sash for the rest of the evening and drunk champagne out of the massive cup I won to celebrate. I very, very nice way to start the year off. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal">This weekend I head to Brisbane with my baton in hand and camaraderie hat on as we try and qualify the 4 x 400m relay team for the Olympics. We need to have an average between our top two times in the top 16 in the world to qualify. We have one at the moment from last year’s world championships in Deagu. The plan is to all be wearing split shorts so I have no doubt we will be fine. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br /></div><!--EndFragment--></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-years-resolution-be-awesomer.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-8483776603707014743Fri, 12 Aug 2011 11:51:00 +00002011-08-12T04:51:05.233-07:00Apology.I would like to publicly apologize to an athlete I have offended in a previous blog. Without naming her, I refered to Tamsyn Lewis in may last blog when talking about Lauren. I had no intention of bringing her down or offending her, but I have. Tamsyn is an amazing athlete and a credit to our sport. She continues her outstanding career and I wish her all the best for her 2012 campaign. Tamsyn, I am sorry.<br /><br />BJ http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2011/08/apology.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-8063014521035814536Thu, 04 Aug 2011 19:23:00 +00002011-08-12T04:45:41.638-07:00If life gives you lemons, paint that shit Gold!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section">I can't help that think that any words I may have to say here are far less important or interesting purely because I have not been selected on the World Champs team for this year. I don't say that as a cry for attention or to bring sympathy from anyone who reads this, it just seems to make sense. Who the fuck really cares about the guy who didn't make the team, the guy who got beaten by Cadel Evens in the 2011 Tour (by next year you'll for get which of the Schleck brothers it was, trust me), or the guy who sat on the bench for the winning team in the Grand Final? Shit, not me!!<br /><br />Having said that, as insignificant it seems to me, some people are actually reading this great-at-time-wasting blog, so I'll keep writing, for better or for worse...<br /><br />The bottom line is that I didn't run fast enough. Some other people were selected on the same performance as I was, but for good reason I believe. And as much as I knew/know that I am in great shape, my times weren't there so it was just too hard to add my name on the list. And the 4 x 400 is always a long shot for me; you can't add a guy that has run 47.5 ahead of a number of solid 46 mid runners. No brainer. <br /><br />I may sound a little passive right now, and your right. This sport at it's best is a beautiful temptress, that you never thought you stood a chance with, taking you home and doing things you never thought possible. You are not quite sure why she's with you right now or if you <br />deserve it, but you don't ask questions and just go with it! And at it's worst it is a Friday<br /> night at home at your parents place with a packet of doritos, a box of tissues, and an old <br />VHS copy of Basic Instinct. At the top of your game it's all you. You take full responsibility<br /> for your success and are able to share them with people who helped you get there. For the <br />same reasons, that responsibility is carried like a terrible case of the flu when things don't<br /> go right, and most of the time it's all your fault.<br /><br /><br />That's all a bit dark and nasty though, isn't it? I'm passive because I'm ok with it. But mark my words, readers, if there is anything more that i needed to drive me through the next 12 months towards London, let this be it. It will stir in me as the dull flame of desire and a reminder that any short cuts, passive sessions, lack of focus will result in what happened this year, and I will simply not let that happen. There are 7 months until Olympic trials.<br /><br />The other side of the coin is that I get to see those that have gone though this already rise and do themselves proud in Deagu. Let's go through some of those on the team who have availed through the hardship of non-selection and injury over the past few years. Watch closely for<br />these guys this year in Deagu as they will show us all what it means to overcome adversity...<br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4NUmYKSzsoM/Tjr4ZRfGGmI/AAAAAAAAAKo/xMhr5YpjPKY/s1600/Lauren%252BBoden%252B19th%252BCommonwealth%252BGames%252BPreviews%252BzdHiH-BuO-El.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4NUmYKSzsoM/Tjr4ZRfGGmI/AAAAAAAAAKo/xMhr5YpjPKY/s200/Lauren%252BBoden%252B19th%252BCommonwealth%252BGames%252BPreviews%252BzdHiH-BuO-El.jpg" width="186" /></a></div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section"><br /></div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section"><br />Close to home for me, <b>Lauren Boden</b> missed out on 2009 World Champs. She lost trials by the difference of a padded bra. This fired her up beyond measure, and the next season she took a second off her PB and got herself into around the top 10 girls in the world. She runs this year in both the 400m hurdles and the 4 x 400m relay.&nbsp;</div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N2Li6XbzTm4/Tjr4sKY4QNI/AAAAAAAAAKs/xxNv7Tq_wcc/s1600/12th%252BIAAF%252BWorld%252BAthletics%252BChampionships%252BDay%252BY7U5UjZ-yabl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-N2Li6XbzTm4/Tjr4sKY4QNI/AAAAAAAAAKs/xxNv7Tq_wcc/s200/12th%252BIAAF%252BWorld%252BAthletics%252BChampionships%252BDay%252BY7U5UjZ-yabl.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section"><br /><br />After a fairytail first international season and a bronze in Berlin World Champs, <b>Mitch Watt</b> had an interrupted and injury riddled 2010 and hardly competed, missing Commonwealth Games and Continental Cup (formerly Word Cup). He has worked his arse off to get back in the game and, needless to say, a recent Australian Record would indicate he is reaping the benefits of the hard work back to full health.</div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-114Xo5PqJCU/Tjr5HupURXI/AAAAAAAAAKw/kIcKXW6gXpI/s1600/37th%252BIAAF%252BWorld%252BCross%252BCountry%252BChampionship%252BvIBJeAlEyGXm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-114Xo5PqJCU/Tjr5HupURXI/AAAAAAAAAKw/kIcKXW6gXpI/s200/37th%252BIAAF%252BWorld%252BCross%252BCountry%252BChampionship%252BvIBJeAlEyGXm.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section"><br /><br /><b> Ryan Gregson</b> went last year from being one of Austalia's best young talents and a real medal chance at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi to be forced to the sidelines with a foot injury. After breaking the Australian 1500m record, he missed the Games and almost the whole season. Rumored at being one of the hardest trainers and most determined athletes in the middle distance world, Gregson came back with a vengeance, and is now getting ready to repeat his National Record form from last year in Deagu.&nbsp;</div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYf0_MQo6PQ/Tjr5YUH_CuI/AAAAAAAAAK0/BD0TaHCZH4E/s1600/Elite%252BIndigenous%252BAthletes%252BTraining%252BCamp%252BjXYf2Gp62Khl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="124" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZYf0_MQo6PQ/Tjr5YUH_CuI/AAAAAAAAAK0/BD0TaHCZH4E/s200/Elite%252BIndigenous%252BAthletes%252BTraining%252BCamp%252BjXYf2Gp62Khl.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div align="left" class="bloggerplus_text_section"><br /><br />In a country of very talented long jumpers, it is easy to forget athletes like <b>Robbie Crowther</b>. He won world juniors way back in 2006 in a very promising 8.01, but has been riddled with injury and form issues since then. After hamstring surgery late last year, he has jumped PB after PB this year and forced his way onto the team heading to Korea. He could easily final with his most recent leap of 8.12m. <br /><br />Of course there is a story for all the athletes on the team, but these mates above will remind me over the next 12 months of what one can do when things are down and potentially out. I hope to be one of these stories next year, but in the meantime, it's their turn.<br /><br />And let's face it, running at World Champs this year and qualifying early for the Olympics next year would have been way too boring! I would have had bugger-all to write about in this blog and when they make a film blockbuster about my life this would have been the bit of the film when you go to the toilet or go a get another choc-top. <br /><br />I am genuinely looking forward to seeing those above mentioned and the rest of the amazing Australian athletes being sent to to Deagu to take on the world. There is a certain purity to a world champs that you don't get at the Olympics, everyone is there with a job to do and it's business time!! The focus is just on our wonderful sport, and everyone gets their chance to shine. <br /><br />Best of luck to the athletes going the World Championships in Deagu. I shall be with you in spirit, and will prey to the Gods of Olympianity that you do all that you are destined to do. </div></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2011/08/if-life-gives-you-lemons-paint-that.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-4476725009504514808Sun, 31 Jul 2011 21:14:00 +00002011-07-31T14:28:20.130-07:00Leverkusan Pole Vault Meet (how aths should be!)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I sit here and write on the eve of my selection fate. Tomorrow I find out about World Champs and I still am none the wiser as to what is going to happen, so I shall try not to think, and I certainly won't go on about it in this blog. Not much point, I feel. Will write tomorrow with my feelings when I know.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DDDil92zE6I/TjW1cj3gI8I/AAAAAAAAAJc/VxWMshAr4FY/s1600/IMG_2145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DDDil92zE6I/TjW1cj3gI8I/AAAAAAAAAJc/VxWMshAr4FY/s400/IMG_2145.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br />I had the great opportunity last night of experiencing one of the best examples of what track and field really should be like (photos taken by me!). This meet in Leverkusan, Germany, has been going for only a year or two. It's limited to just pole vault, and has gone from a BBQ and a couple of cases of beer with a few officials and a handful of jumpers, to what happened last night. It now has a proper sponsor, about 200 spectators, and a DJ with full audio set-up. The punters braved the cold, the vaulters entered in a stretch hummer (cheesy as hell, but kind of cool), they had a live singer belting out some Beyonce, more media than at Australian Nationals Championships (not hard), and, wait for it... 1 euro beers.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U25oa0TCQhU/TjW3NCNsrMI/AAAAAAAAAJk/CzQsJJvCkyo/s1600/IMG_2127.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U25oa0TCQhU/TjW3NCNsrMI/AAAAAAAAAJk/CzQsJJvCkyo/s320/IMG_2127.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />I'm not very savvy with pole vaulters' names in the Europe, but this field was hot! Three guys were there who have jumped over 6m, and it exhibited competitors from Australia, Germany, Ukraine, Korea, and the USA. You would have to say one of the best fields outside a permit meet in the world!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kaeDPAObOn8/TjW4WluILYI/AAAAAAAAAJs/ShWd7_BpqeY/s1600/IMG_2055.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kaeDPAObOn8/TjW4WluILYI/AAAAAAAAAJs/ShWd7_BpqeY/s320/IMG_2055.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xi7cCib7K5Q/TjW6PbtsgMI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/_P9W6JE1mCk/s1600/IMG_2132.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xi7cCib7K5Q/TjW6PbtsgMI/AAAAAAAAAJ0/_P9W6JE1mCk/s320/IMG_2132.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />What I loved so much about this meet was the atmosphere that was created by the culture of this event. There is no doubt that field events in athletics sometimes get a hard deal, but the thing about pole vault (and pole vaulters) is the attitude they have to each other, their sport, and those who love watching it! The <i>je ne sais quoi </i>is hard to pin-point, but there is a positivity and friendliness that oozes from these guys that is very infectious.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hbxUrDAIW7I/TjW7k1DYGWI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/EmlfLIEB17Q/s1600/IMG_2045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hbxUrDAIW7I/TjW7k1DYGWI/AAAAAAAAAJ8/EmlfLIEB17Q/s320/IMG_2045.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />I have never met a pole vaulter I don't like, and being great mates with Hooker has given me the opportunity to meet vaulters from all over the world that I now can call true friends. Last night I met a few more I can do the same with, and most of the crowd hung around for hours after the meet, catching up, drinking, eating. I don't know many other events in athletics where this kind of thing happens so effortlessly.&nbsp;It is obviously a special meeting, and I can see why Steve made the big effort to come and compete here (for no money at all, I believe), and plans to continue for years to come.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TLS_P4N3J_I/TjW8SKkgQmI/AAAAAAAAAKA/_LrfS3ihM1s/s1600/IMG_2059.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TLS_P4N3J_I/TjW8SKkgQmI/AAAAAAAAAKA/_LrfS3ihM1s/s320/IMG_2059.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBeUlDk3Eh4/TjXA07MG-gI/AAAAAAAAAKY/DKY-Q_hHjl0/s1600/IMG_2175.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBeUlDk3Eh4/TjXA07MG-gI/AAAAAAAAAKY/DKY-Q_hHjl0/s320/IMG_2175.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />Working and travelling with athletes from lots of different sports as a therapist, I am often so jealous of the real community culture, especially in team sports. But this little pole vault meet in a small town in Germany has inspired me that there is a great community and culture in athletics that is lying underneath the lycra and egos that stereotypically holds this culture back. How do we expose and get more out of this? I don't know. But it has certainly got me thinking, and I plan to ask my mates in this great sport to put some ideas together.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e2G_kg5eREI/TjW9tR_u7SI/AAAAAAAAAKI/JUOIHFscc2I/s1600/IMG_2082.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-e2G_kg5eREI/TjW9tR_u7SI/AAAAAAAAAKI/JUOIHFscc2I/s320/IMG_2082.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />It's so easy to get caught into the self-involved web of interest in aths. But there are so many great people in this sport who truly love it and love being around it. I know I have been guilty of being way too caught up in my own shit to know what's going on around me sometimes. But over the past few years I have learned that the people are what makes this sport truly great, and I think we can do better at making this known and making the most of it. I've been lucky enough to accomplish a lot in this wonderful sport, but to be honest, the things that I remember most and the things I will miss are the amazing friendships, the hilarious and tragic stories, and the weird and wonderful places.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--hVqmRCzBlg/TjW-_DsSkfI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/Qm2IVFzq_XM/s1600/IMG_2090.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--hVqmRCzBlg/TjW-_DsSkfI/AAAAAAAAAKQ/Qm2IVFzq_XM/s320/IMG_2090.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />We all have our own jobs to do, but why can't this still be a focal point and a backbone in the sport. It will always be there, of course, but why not capitalise on this and make it more of a focus? Make meets more social! It's not only better for the spectators, but the support that is given to the athletes is terrific, which can't be bad. Organise structure in camps and comps that helps develop this culture and stigma in athletics. I see in every single meet at every level in Belgium food and beer being enjoyed by almost all who aren't competing. Where is that social atmosphere in OZ?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQS08sNwfo0/TjXCjcsIG5I/AAAAAAAAAKg/P0GsaHf8K1c/s1600/IMG_2042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-aQS08sNwfo0/TjXCjcsIG5I/AAAAAAAAAKg/P0GsaHf8K1c/s320/IMG_2042.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />It's possible my rant here is just idealistic nonsense, but it seems we are not making the most of something that already exists in our sport. I love this sport and what I do, but I love it more because of who I do it with.</div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2011/07/leverkusan-pole-vault-meet-how-aths.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-783786334604409950Wed, 27 Jul 2011 08:00:00 +00002011-07-27T01:00:05.537-07:00Belgian Waffling<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">After the weekend's competition just passed, the facts stare me blankly in the eyes. It was my last competition inside the qualifying period before World Championships selection. In that sense, it was unsuccessful. But although I am feeling like I am once again snacking on a familiar tasting piece of irony pie, I feel great.<br /><br />I forgot how nice it is (and rather helpful) to have a coach. This being my 5th European campaign, there is a certain pride that takes over when by yourself trying to 'nut it out' in Europe. I had about 3 weeks without Matty, and I realised how important it is to have a rational, watchful, and objective eye when training and competing. In my first session back with Matty last week we made a couple of small changes in my technique over the hurdles and it made an extraordinary difference in times and effort.<br /><br />Belgian national Champs was to be the last competition for me inside the qualifying period, with a heat and a final. I went in with my new found confidence in hurdling as well as a settled attitude to the &nbsp;qualifier situation in that, "If it happens, awesome. If not, that's OK." (History tells me this is by far my best suited approach for these races.) I was hoping to race against my old friend Michael Butheel in the heats. He and I not only share a very similar build and fascial structure, but more importantly, a similar PB. He was chasing qualifiers too.<br /><br />The cold wind and the wetness dampened our spirits towards the good conditions we were hoping for, and we didn't get put in the same heat. I ran a very respectable <b>49.95</b> out on my own, and with some mistakes in the race, including a 16 stride into hurdle 10. It showed me that the changes we were making are what I need and that I really <i>am</i> in good shape!!<br /><br />The final was a little colder and windy, but not too bad. I recovered and warmed up well, but my race was riddled with mistakes from the 5th hurdle, which included smacking hurdles 5, 7, and 9. My run to the 5th hurdle was "sensational" (Matty's words, not mine!). I had all but given up on the fast time by the 10th (which I took an insulting 17 strides into - I should take 15) but still managed a <b>50.60</b>. This was annoying and encouraging at the same time.<br /><br />So I sit here with a fantastic session done yesterday as well as the weekend behind me and a <i>knowing</i> that I can run fast at the moment. When I first got over here I think my racing was a little like blindfolded 'pin the tail on the donkey'; I'd race hoping that I would nail it but it was a bit of &nbsp;blind faith (see <i>Olympianity</i> blog below). Now the blindfold is off and I genuinely know I have the artillery to run 49.0-49.4, and more importantly, HOW to run that fast!<br /><br />On a good note, I have 2 or 3 more races to prove myself correct. The only bummer is they won't count as selection races this year.<br /><br />I give myself about a 30% chance of World Champs selection in the hurdles with what I have done. The 4x400 relay is even more unknown as no-one is running as they would expect themselves to. A very odd year for all selection. But in the meantime (selectors will sit down on the 1st or 3rd of August) I shall wait patiently in the back of the class ready to come up to the blackboard and NAIL that book report... Pick me! Pick me!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jBjiLafT5vA/Ti_EO3yRlbI/AAAAAAAAAJU/J31qwdQZ7B0/s1600/School+Class+hands+up.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="208" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jBjiLafT5vA/Ti_EO3yRlbI/AAAAAAAAAJU/J31qwdQZ7B0/s320/School+Class+hands+up.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2011/07/belgian-waffling.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-7208540114323825041Fri, 22 Jul 2011 13:40:00 +00002011-07-22T23:43:05.907-07:00Which friend are you?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Being back in Cologne for a while reminds me of last year before heading to the Commonwealth Games in India. Altogether unremarkably different from this year, except for the fact that I spent almost 2 months continually no more than 5 meters away from Joel Milburn. Joel and I talked about many things. 99% completely horse-shit, and I think the other 1% was when we were talking about the weather or what times we had run that weekend. Topics included; the best t-shirts to wear whilst DJ-ing, who would win in a fight between a ninja and a really cranky unicorn, the science behind why split shorts are faster than tights, what mischief we are going to get up to at the end of the aths season, and what angle is required to make it possible to climb a wall only using your legs and your face.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">One of the memorable highly intellectual discussions we had, however, was on friendship. You may be picturing now Joel and I on our beds throwing malteasers at each other and telling stories about childhood mates and the people that shaped our complex and intricate personalities. But no. What we did was come up with a full-proof and completely reliable system to categorise our, your, anyone's friendships, based on what we share with that person. The more you are willing to share with this person, the more you hold them dear to you heart and are able to call them a true friend. Some shared things also dictate the </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">type</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> of relationship you have with them...</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lets start at the bottom and work our way up.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Facebook Friend</span></u></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let's be honest here, you probably 'know' all the names on your facebook, but to say you actually have '1241' friends is complete crap. The Facebook Friend knows only your name, and maybe not even that. They are a number on a page you check every day and a source of amusement or annoyance when they pop into your news feed. Certainly a starting point in some cases to move up the friendship ladder, but they start where they should, at the bottom.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljP_IS1cay4/Til49ivA1iI/AAAAAAAAAI4/LqH-z8VudZU/s1600/Facebook-bulk-add-friends.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ljP_IS1cay4/Til49ivA1iI/AAAAAAAAAI4/LqH-z8VudZU/s200/Facebook-bulk-add-friends.png" width="197" /></span></a></div><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span> </u></b><br /><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Elevator Friend</span></u></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You have a fairly passive relationship with Elevator Friend. Of course you may not have a choice most times. Or do you? You don't have to get on that elevator, do you now? The Elevator friend is neither visually or nasally offensive, may or may not be engaging in small talk, and you are probably not fussed whether they are there or not. You won't exchange anything physical with them, but that's fine. They don't make the trip awkward, but they haven't moved themselves up to any higher friendship group, and therefore remain appropriately where I am about to get off this lift.... the first floor!</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vgTuR5roAYk/Til5PZQRDXI/AAAAAAAAAI8/QhBYsDXZOVo/s1600/Cue+awkward+elevator+music.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="155" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vgTuR5roAYk/Til5PZQRDXI/AAAAAAAAAI8/QhBYsDXZOVo/s200/Cue+awkward+elevator+music.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Pen Friend</span></b></u><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not to be mistaken for 'pen PAL' (that would be much higher on the friendship scale), The Pen Friend is someone who you would share a pen with. The great thing about The Pen Friend is that it's scope is all the way from primary school to Tuesday night Bingo at the RSL. This is the first of the physical exchange categories, as also a definite gateway to moving up the list, if that be your intention. They may not know your name, the pen offer may even be denied, but the intention was there, and that's important! The real key to the Pen Friend is the fact that you are happy to let that pen go. If you get it back, great! But if they forget, then that's just part of that ink-riddled connection you guys have going on.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The 4-X Friend</span></u></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Again, not to be mislead (with 'XXXX' the beer brand), the 4-X Friend (short for 'four exchanges') is founded upon the no-less-than-four communicative exchanges with the person in almost all circumstances. For eg:</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. "Hey Chip!"</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1. "Hey Dick!"</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. "How are you?"</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2. "Oh, just peachy... And you?</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. "Grand, just grand. Say, don't you have Wednesdays off work?"</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3. "Is today Wednesday? Well gol-ly, so it is! My wife is going to kill me!"</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. "Oh Chip! Hahahaha."</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4. "Hahahahaha."</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Four exchanges each. The 4-X Friend gets just enough information of the conversation to not make it awkward, but not too much to delve into anything too deep. The best thing about the 4-X Friend is you can validate the friendship without too much fuss; walking down the street without stopping, mutual comments on an FB status update, or a trolly run-in at the supermarket. You're friends on facebook, you'd happily share a pen or a lift with them, but you probably wouldn't say they are...</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Aoll54uMEk/Til595jvJsI/AAAAAAAAAJA/yBogWXJFyIw/s1600/Bush_Howard_Phillip_Street_meeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="141" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_Aoll54uMEk/Til595jvJsI/AAAAAAAAAJA/yBogWXJFyIw/s200/Bush_Howard_Phillip_Street_meeting.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The High-5 Friend</span></u></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Some blokes would say I have jumped too far here, and that the high-5 is both an ancient and sacred ritual reserved for the closest of close mates. I agreed with how special the high-5 is, but I also embrace it's more common use these days, and not only between guys, but between girls now also. There is certainly a high-5 etiquette, and some would say that they should read "The Art of the High-5" before attempting such an act, but that is not for me to say. The High-5 Friend is what I am talking about and they are a great friend to have around. They great thing about the High-5 Friend is that someone can easily enter the friendship ladder at this point, and with absolutely no words spoken... E.g: At a sport event, with a shared moment between fellow cheer squad members; in a social outing, when you have just revealed that you got the new job you were after; or at a music concert, where you agree with the stranger next to you that the track they are currently playing is 'kick-arse!' The High-5 Friend says:</span><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"No. A handshake is just not enough. We need to rise up and smack our palms together in exaltation and celebration. We are High-5 Friends and we are awesome."</span></i><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span> </i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ua66zstfNl8/Til6DEyNx3I/AAAAAAAAAJE/M3T9UUJfiRY/s1600/7177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="188" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ua66zstfNl8/Til6DEyNx3I/AAAAAAAAAJE/M3T9UUJfiRY/s200/7177.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span> </i><br /><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span> </i><br /><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Round Friend&nbsp;</span></u></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Again, not to be misunderstood. The Round Friend does not refer to their physical appearance, but to the ability to share a round of drink buying with them. Sometimes you can enter a Round Friend relationship against your will, but the fact that if that person is entering a Round Friend relationship with someone that you are also, then that trust extends to them also. A unique category, The Round Friend is not only a contract, but a test to the relationship. Entering into a round of drinks allows a certain amount of trust for those in it, and a failed round buy or a skipping off early can result in a catastrophic decline in the friendship status of those involved. However, with risk comes opportunity. Sharing a round is a clear intention of friendship and camaraderie for the evening, with its constant empathy as to the drinking status of the partakers; "Jim, you alright for that martini, mate?" "Sal, you're beer looks empty, babe. Refill?"</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Clothes Friend</span></u></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As the names suggests, The Clothes Friend is someone in your life that you have the privilege of not only sharing a similar physical size (and probably gender) with, but also the ability to lend your clothes out to them. Initially with some risk involved, The Clothes Friend may be weary at first about the promptness and state of the garment when returned, but if this is passed then you have a friend for life. The only thing more pleasing than realising that you have obtained this sought-after mutual respect and friendship with someone in your life is doubling your wardrobe! The Clothes Friend is definitely a keeper.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NDcQ6aP8hv8/Til6MVllMnI/AAAAAAAAAJI/U1a3bJEav7Q/s1600/5536035654_4f70f6530a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NDcQ6aP8hv8/Til6MVllMnI/AAAAAAAAAJI/U1a3bJEav7Q/s200/5536035654_4f70f6530a.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Straw Friend</span></u></b><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There is a moment in some friendships when a new level is reached. It's usually not a conscious awareness of any new ground being broken like in the High-5, and sometimes it may not even register between the two friends. This happens when a milkshake is shared. I am not talking about 2 new lovers sitting opposite the booth seat in a diner sucking down on a vanilla choc at the same time, I am talking same milkshake, same straw. You are exchanging the same symbolic and physical attributes as a pash, but it's oh, so much more. When you kiss someone, your sexual intention clouds your judgement. Everyone knows someone who has pashed someone after a spew. This is what I am talking about. The Straw Friend reaches a level of mate-ship that supersedes a kiss, and brings two people closer together, by disease or by shared deliciousness.</span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span><br /><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span> </u></b><br /><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Toothbrush Friend</span></u></b><br /><b><u></u></b><br /><b><u></u></b><br /><b><u><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; line-height: 21pt;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; line-height: normal;"></span></div><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="display: inline !important; line-height: 21pt;"><div style="display: inline !important; font: normal normal normal 16px/normal Times; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><div style="display: inline !important;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">To share a toothbrush with someone willingly is the&nbsp;<i>piece&nbsp;de resistance</i> of the friendship world. It is the Enlightenment, the Mount Everest, the Olympic Gold, the Rachmaninoff's 3rd of friends. I can sense some people reading this and cringing at the idea of sharing a toothbrush with ANYONE, and all I can say is that I pity you. Many will never reach this level of friendship, never experience the letting go of inhibitions, never feel the true love or trust in someone letting them use their toothbrush. They have not lived. It's a state of connection that says, "You know what? I don't care if my special personal mouth cleaning device goes in your mouth as well. I'm not attracted to you, but I am ok with us sharing DNA in the way of saliva.... I'M OK!!" And in the case of a life &nbsp;partner..."Do you take your groom to be your lawfully wedded husband, and do you&nbsp;promise before these witnesses, to love him, comfort him, honor and allow him to use your toothbrushin sickness and health?".... I do.</span></div></div></div></div></div></div></u></b><br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: nowrap;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span> </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: nowrap;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ijzdpzyM_eI/Til6Vu9KByI/AAAAAAAAAJM/vckAhOFvraY/s1600/toothbrushes1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ijzdpzyM_eI/Til6Vu9KByI/AAAAAAAAAJM/vckAhOFvraY/s200/toothbrushes1.jpg" width="150" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: nowrap;"><span style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span></span></span></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2011/07/friendship-edition.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-8166875294363948028Tue, 19 Jul 2011 10:09:00 +00002011-07-19T04:40:08.004-07:00BJ vs. TT: 1-on-1 with World Champs Bronze medallist Tristan T. ThomasAs we approach the two year anniversary of the stunning mens 4x400 bronze medal performance at Berlin World Championships in 2009, I talk to one of the medal winning athletes on his way back from a long injury-ridden period; Tristan Thomas. Quirky, passionate, insecure, but always armed with some banter to make your day more entertaining, the famous redhead talks about the past, the future, and why he leaves nothing behind.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5AUakhnzV74/TiVXU50WQJI/AAAAAAAAAIo/4QRYqdMc7bM/s1600/12th%252BIAAF%252BWorld%252BAthletics%252BChampionships%252BDay%252Be-32cKVmS29l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5AUakhnzV74/TiVXU50WQJI/AAAAAAAAAIo/4QRYqdMc7bM/s320/12th%252BIAAF%252BWorld%252BAthletics%252BChampionships%252BDay%252Be-32cKVmS29l.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>BJ: Please state your name, age, your event and your favourite colour.</b><br />TT: Tristan Terrance Thomas. My age is 25 old years. My event is most likely the 400m hurdles and my favourite colour at the moment is green.<br /><b>BJ: Tristan, you've been out of action for a couple of years now, man! But you are back on track, and looking good, so.... where have you been??!</b><br />TT: I have been in a void, its seems. Obviously, been injured: had surgery in August. I have had 40 000 different diagnosis for my achilles problems, and now just slowly slowly building up to the point where I can say I am an athlete again.<br /><b>BJ: It's a long time away from something you obviously love so much... Have there been any tears?</b><br />TT: There haven't been tears as such, but as far as depth of emotion, there has been moments where I had to question things. But tears themselves, no. Over athletics, anyway.<br /><b>BJ: And what answers have you got from those questions?</b><br />TT: The questions were "What do we do this for?", "What does it mean", and "How much does getting to the top of the mountain mean for you as a person?" They are the questions that you have to ask, and everyone has to ask as they get older, but being injured and having to tell yourself that you don't care for so long (otherwise you'd just go insane), you start to look at things differently. I'd like to think that I'll still be able to get as far as I want to go, but as with the coming of age, you've got other things in your life that mean a lot as well.<br /><b>BJ: With 5 to 10 years left of your career, if you had to choose between 5-10 years performing at 90% of your potential, or 2 years at 100%, what would you prefer?&nbsp;</b><br />TT: I would take the 100%. I have had many debates with people as to whether they would take the Olympic Gold or the World Record, and I am yet to find more than a couple of people that would agree that the World Record, and being the greatest, and getting to the top of the tree is better than beating the best people on the day. With that philosophy, if I can sit back in 20 years and know that I reached every little bit of potential that I could, regardless of where I finished or what teams I made, I used the talent that I had.<br /><b>BJ: Alright, enough about the past. You are again on your way to superstardom, what next for Tristan Thomas?&nbsp;</b><br />TT: I don't know. I would still like to say that I will have a good year this year, running some 400s. I would love for the training I am doing to correlate to a fast 400 and then making into the 4x400 team (for world champs), and to start getting you my, you know, persona out there a bit more. But realistically having had such a big injury and getting a little bit older, I would love to do amazing things, but weather it happens or not, I can only, sort of.... hope.<br /><b>BJ: If you had a chance to run at any Diamond League in the world, what would it be and why?</b><br />TT: It would probably be Paris. Or, I don't know, for me now it's almost Monaco. I ran there in 2009 and I was in great shape and I went into the race thinking "this could be the day that I beat the best in the world." Training was gong really well, Angelo Taylor more than just knew who I was, but actually told me that I had had a pretty good training session the day before. I remember walking over to the startline, saying my goodbyes to Craig... Hilliard: coach, and thinking "what if I do this right? Anything could happen. I could run 48-low and, bang! Game over." And I stuffed it. Really bad. I still ran 49 twenty-something, but got last. I remember crossing the line and being devastated because I had blown the chance, so to be back in that stadium with a chance to rectify would mean more than just any other race.<br /><b>BJ: So there is some unfinished business...&nbsp;</b><br /><b>Now for those young athletes out there who are envious of who you are and what you do, what would you say is so good about being a track and field athlete?</b><br />TT: I think what's best about it is that it allows you the time and the freedom to be creative enough to be able to do what you want to do without having the responsibilities of tedious 9 to 5 life. Everyone talks about going to Europe, everyone talks about wanting to see the world. Our job takes us to these places, and not only that, but how many people get to compete in front of 90 000 people like you and I did at Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, where the crowd stands up as you walk to the start they cheer and get up and say "C'Mon Australia!" You may be about to get smashed, but you are someone. Athletics gives everyone in our sport an ability to be someone, which is a way to become more than just a dude in the crowd.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ik-TSFMRo3M/TiVXiH-_evI/AAAAAAAAAIs/v6Ft2waisw0/s1600/Graeme%252BBriggs%252BClassic%252BNXzHygnvFhzl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ik-TSFMRo3M/TiVXiH-_evI/AAAAAAAAAIs/v6Ft2waisw0/s320/Graeme%252BBriggs%252BClassic%252BNXzHygnvFhzl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><b>BJ: Alright mate, nice responses. Here is the real test though; BJ's 20 questions...</b><br /><br /><b>1. Are you ready?</b><br />TT: Yes.<br /><b>2. What's better? Ice cream or chocolate?&nbsp;</b><br />TT: Ice cream.<br /><b>3. Favourite Band?</b><br />TT: Oasis.<br /><b>4. Why is your hair so red?&nbsp;</b><br />TT: Genetics. Although no-one else in my family has red hair.<br /><b>5. Who will be our best performed athlete at the World Champs this year in Daegu?</b><br />TT: Sally Pearson. No, Steve.... No. Sally.<br /><b>6. Which is your favourite Rocky film?</b><br />TT: Damn. Ummm... One.<br /><b>7. Have you ever done a nude 400 meters?</b><br />TT: Negative. Ahhh... negative. 400? No.<br /><b>8. What do you think you could run for a nude 400 meters?</b><br />TT: 400 meters. I don't know.<br /><b>9. If you could describe yourself in 3 words only, what would they be?</b><br />TT: Tristan Terrance Thomas.<br /><b>10. Who would you turn gay for?</b><br />TT: (Long pause) ... Mickey Mouse.<br /><b>11. Who would you turn straight for?</b><br />TT: Minney.<br /><b>12. When was the last time you washed behind your ears?</b><br />TT: The last time my Mum did it for me.<br /><b>13. What is your best 10-pin bowling score?</b><br />TT: 201<br /><b>14. Have you ever attempted a 'centurion'?</b><br />TT: No, but I look forward to the day I do.<br /><b>15. What do you think &nbsp;you would get to?</b><br />TT: Ahh.... Ummm... Ssssseventy??<br /><b>16. What's your favourite item of clothing?</b><br />TT: My watch has probably got more compliments than I have. So I will go my watch.<br /><b>17. At what age did you, or will you, become a man?</b><br />TT: (Long pause) Umm... &nbsp;If I am remembered, hopefully a few years after my death.<br /><b>18. Can Bolt run any faster?</b><br />TT: Definitely.<br /><b>19. What is your favourite Sunday activity?</b><br />TT: Hmm.. Ask me again when circumstances change.<br /><b>20. How many questions have I asked?</b><br />All together? Umm.. 18?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o6pXkDfAmDY/TiVXpkAOd9I/AAAAAAAAAIw/Z10NA2nkOQY/s1600/Zatopek%252BClassic%252BHMC8XPcunIUl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o6pXkDfAmDY/TiVXpkAOd9I/AAAAAAAAAIw/Z10NA2nkOQY/s320/Zatopek%252BClassic%252BHMC8XPcunIUl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2011/07/bj-vs-tt-1-on-1-with-world-champs.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-451300103953424799Mon, 18 Jul 2011 19:16:00 +00002011-07-18T12:16:29.912-07:00Date a girl who reads.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>"Date a girl who reads. Date a girl who spends her money on books instead of clothes. She has problems with closet space because she has too many books. Date a girl who has a list of books she wants to read, who has had a library card since she was twelve.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>Find a girl who reads. You’ll know that she does because she will always have an unread book in her bag. She’s the one lovingly looking over the shelves in the bookstore, the one who quietly cries out when she finds the book she wants. You see the weird chick sniffing the pages of an old book in a second hand book shop? That’s the reader. They can never resist smelling the pages, especially when they are yellow.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>She’s the girl reading while waiting in that coffee shop down the street. If you take a peek at her mug, the non-dairy creamer is floating on top because she’s kind of engrossed already. Lost in a world of the author’s making. Sit down. She might give you a glare, as most girls who read do not like to be interrupted. Ask her if she likes the book.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>Buy her another cup of coffee.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>Let her know what you really think of Murakami. See if she got through the first chapter of Fellowship. Understand that if she says she understood James Joyce’s Ulysses she’s just saying that to sound intelligent. Ask her if she loves Alice or she would like to be Alice.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>It’s easy to date a girl who reads. Give her books for her birthday, for Christmas and for anniversaries. Give her the gift of words, in poetry, in song. Give her Neruda, Pound, Sexton, Cummings. Let her know that you understand that words are love. Understand that she knows the difference between books and reality but by god, she’s going to try to make her life a little like her favorite book. It will never be your fault if she does.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>She has to give it a shot somehow.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>Lie to her. If she understands syntax, she will understand your need to lie. Behind words are other things: motivation, value, nuance, dialogue. It will not be the end of the world.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>Fail her. Because a girl who reads knows that failure always leads up to the climax. Because girls who understand that all things will come to end. That you can always write a sequel. That you can begin again and again and still be the hero. That life is meant to have a villain or two.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>Why be frightened of everything that you are not? Girls who read understand that people, like characters, develop. Except in the Twilightseries.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>If you find a girl who reads, keep her close. When you find her up at 2 AM clutching a book to her chest and weeping, make her a cup of tea and hold her. You may lose her for a couple of hours but she will always come back to you. She’ll talk as if the characters in the book are real, because for a while, they always are.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>You will propose on a hot air balloon. Or during a rock concert. Or very casually next time she’s sick. Over Skype.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>You will smile so hard you will wonder why your heart hasn’t burst and bled out all over your chest yet. You will write the story of your lives, have kids with strange names and even stranger tastes. She will introduce your children to the Cat in the Hat and Aslan, maybe in the same day. You will walk the winters of your old age together and she will recite Keats under her breath while you shake the snow off your boots.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>Date a girl who reads because you deserve it. You deserve a girl who can give you the most colorful life imaginable. If you can only give her monotony, and stale hours and half-baked proposals, then you’re better off alone. If you want the world and the worlds beyond it, date a girl who reads.</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>Or better yet, date a girl who writes."</i></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i><br /></i></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #070202; font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px;"><i>-&nbsp;</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">Rosemarie Urquico</span>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2011/07/date-girl-who-reads.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-4884169375344231135Sun, 17 Jul 2011 13:42:00 +00002011-07-17T06:42:42.692-07:00Saturday night in Heusdan, BelgiumSo another meet, another 50 point. I'm not pissed or really disappointed. It was a good race and a great field to come 5th in. I really enjoyed the race (other than it pissing down rain the entire night) as it was close and there was some great aspects of it.<br /><br />I had this sweet analogy to describe where I am at with everything at the moment using lego and having the wrong pieces. Rightfully so, Matty shut me down and told me to stop f*&amp;king around with analogies and just run. Fait call Matty. Just run...!<br /><br />So i'm not going go write anything introspective about where I am at or where I want to be or anything this week. A me-free week. I have coming up on the blog a sit down chat with the one and only Tristan Thomas which was very interesting, so I will have that up as soon as I get it written. <br /><br />I the meantime, training partner Mel Breen had a great night and ran her fastest time for any Euro campaign. Her thoughts can be found on her blog melbreen.com. Get in there...<br /><br />Just run :-)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AxfTpu3MriI/TiLhvNGl8GI/AAAAAAAAAII/rWEXgYra1sk/s1600/IMG_1909.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AxfTpu3MriI/TiLhvNGl8GI/AAAAAAAAAII/rWEXgYra1sk/s320/IMG_1909.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2011/07/saturday-night-in-heusdan-belgium.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4004288403886895742.post-1735694641473510089Tue, 12 Jul 2011 07:35:00 +00002011-07-12T00:37:03.417-07:00Saved by Brittany <p><p class='bloggerplus_text_section' align='left'>A very eventful weekend has just passed. Some say it would have been tough for those backing up in the Paris and Birmingham Diamond Leagues. Not me, those guys have it easy. The Kortjik-Brussels back up weekend is where its at as far as I am concerned. The weekend was chock-o-block with racing, catching up with some touring Aussies, getting in touch with the 14 year old girl inside me and again, learning from some good races. The plan was to race in Kortjik - a town in Belgium - and then catch up with some of the Aussie under 18 kids in Lille on the last day of the world youth Championships in France on Sunday. After a very windy 50.48 and 2nd place in Belgium, my good friend Michael Bultheel gave me the local low-down on a meet to be held on Sunday at the main stadium in Brussels, normally reserved for Diamond League, National Football games, National Championships and Britanny Spears concerts. Ironically, Brittany was the one who helped me learn from the weekend what I did, but we'll get to that. <br><br>Ben Offeriens and I decided that it was a perfect idea to have another race on the Sunday! He raced like crap on Saturday, and there was more wind on the back straight for me in the hurdles than fajita night at TGI Fridays, so I was keen for another hit out as well. We were flying at 6:30pm and our races were 2:30 and 4, so it was going to be tight, but fine. In short, we came, we raced, we left. But it was oh, so much more than that!!<br><br>Usually just at the right time, we athletes experience moments of clarity and perspective of the wonderful sport we do, filled with amazing opportunities on and off the field. The race yesterday was one of those moments for me. The exclamation point was Brittany Spears but I am getting ahead of myself again. <br><br>The Brussels meet was a reminder of what amazing athletes we are at the high level, and that not just anyone can take up this sport and succeed. It was a reminder of some of the do's and don'ts in track and field, and it was a reminder that this sport is really really fun :-) Allow me to set the scene...<br><br>The track was made pretty by balloons. And not just any balloons, floating ones. I recommend to anyone trying to make a big space with 21 people in it look good, to fill some balloons with helium and have those babies flying around to distract you from the lack of crowd in the stands. Tick. I knew it would be a long day when after 4 heats of the first event they were 20 minutes behind, and normally this would piss me off, but the 100m event was one of the most entertaining events of the past year for me. I simply could not get enough!<br><br>Those who have raced in any 'Pro' races in Australia will understand what I mean when I say that some athletes have a bark much, much bigger than their bite. Not being savvy to what the European equivalents of these all-show-and-no-go athletes looked like, I saw the guys warming up and was excited see what these chest pounding sprinters would clock up. There must have been 10 heats in total. They just kept coming!!<br><br>The first heat was won in 11.0, and I thought, "ok, cool. Slow heats first and then they build up..." Nope. Fastest heat first. Now don't get me wrong people, I'm not an elitist jerk who looks down on anyone who isn't winning Grand Prix's, but when you carry on like these guys did you expect some pure gold on that scoreboard. I absolutely love all participation in athletics but there is a certain dignity and demeanor that I think you should have when competing. There was obviously a lot of empty seats in the local class that this was taught in Track and Field 101. <br><br>It was clear that some of these guys were trying to make it look like they were sponsored - all the kit matching and in the current season. The winner of heft 3 was an example of this. Mate, don't salute the crowd and there is no way you got that bodysuit from running 11.7. Heat 7 winner actually ripped his shirt off after the race, strutting around and not shaking any hands. He ran 12.0. I'd like to put forward that there should be a cut off of 12 seconds for those to be allowed to wear a full bodysuit in the men's 100m. Actually, I'll probably eat my words on that in 20 years when all my spit shorts have fallen to pieces and I'll be the crusty old guy out on the street running in a bodysuit. Don't laugh, I'm probably also checking out your daughter's bum.<br><br>My highlight of the sprints was definitely 4th place is the second last heat. He was a proud 13 second full bodysuit wearer, and the fact that he was probably in his forties scored him 10 points in my book. I took back 3 of those points, however; 1 for each size he should go up in his bodysuit, and an extra 5 point penalty for the completely blatant jock strap he was wearing leaving nothing to the imagination whatsoever when he faced the other way. Simply stunning.<br><br>What had me off my seat, however, was the 2nd heat of the women's 400m. We were playing the harmless game of guessing who would win each of the races going purely on pre-race information. I never for a moment had the slightly larger lady in lane 3 who was probably in her latter end of the 30s or early 40s as a chance. She belted out of the blocks, not like someone who used to run, but of someone who is just driven to give their all, and caught her outside lane before the end of the first bend. I thought she would die a tragic death going into the 3rd hundred, but she held strong and was hurting like hell but pulled that finish line right in. Just over 60 seconds. An ovation she got, although a standing one she deserved. <br><br>So back to my race and there was probably someone in the grandstands saying 'Hey look at that dick head wearing split shorts and bright red sunglasses. Who the hell does he thing he is??" Who indeed. I ran a respectable but very tired 50.40. I hoped to make more of the conditions and great track but was fairly passive in the race and probably got what I deserved. 50 point low again. I would love to see the stats on the 400 hurdlers in history who have run between 50.0 and 50.5 more times than me. I'm tipping there would be none.<br><br>We were in a rush to the airport so I got no time for a proper warm down and smelt worse than 'old mate' in 29E, all things which make me cranky. I found myself unsatisfied with my performance before hearing the following words out of the radio sung by none other than miss Brittany Spears...<br><br>"That I ever thought that I could be, baby<br>I used to go with the flow<br>Didn’t really care ‘bout me<br>You might think that I can’t take it, but you’re wrong<br>‘Cause now I’m…<br><br>Stronger than yesterday<br>Now it’s nothing but my way<br>My lonliness ain’t killing me no more<br>I'm stronger"<br><br>She made me appreciate a good weekend of racing, which turned my mood around and also helped my appreciation for the spectacle of athletics that was before me than day. And finally I made one big resolution that I'm too close to the end of my career and have been doing this for way too long to keep giving myself a hard time when I don't run as fast as I want to. So, BJ... Clap. Clap. Clap.</p></p>http://brendancole.blogspot.com/2011/07/saved-by-britanny.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Brendan Cole)1